Utility bills

what are utility bills?

Utility bills are recurring weekly expenses that every independent adult Zoi household must pay. They cover three categories:

• Electricity the cost of powering electronic devices, lights, and appliances in the home. More electronics means higher bills.

• Water covers water usage from sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing machines, and gardening irrigation.

• Property tax a fixed cost based on the value of the lot and furniture in the home. Larger, more expensive properties have higher tax.

billing schedule

Bills arrive every Friday via a notification from the Tax Department on the smartphone. The notification appears in the Messages app. The payment deadline is approximately 2 days from when the bill arrives (Sunday).

who pays bills

Only adult Zois living independently pay bills. Children's bills are covered by their parents. If a child lives with a parent or guardian, the parent's household absorbs the cost. Young Adults who move out and establish their own household begin receiving their own bills. See life stages for age progression details.

how to pay

When a bill arrives:

1. Open the smartphone (press P).

2. Go to the Messages app.

3. Select the Tax Department conversation.

4. Click "Submit Payment". Funds are deducted automatically from the household's Meow balance.

If the household does not have enough Meow to cover the bill, the payment button will still appear, but the transaction will not complete until sufficient funds are available.

consequences of non-payment

Ignoring bills triggers an escalating sequence of consequences:

1. Initial reminders the Tax Department sends follow-up messages reminding you to pay.

2. Overdue notice after the 2-day deadline passes, an overdue notice arrives with a penalty fee added to the original amount.

3. Electricity shut off all electronic devices, lights, and powered appliances stop working. The house goes dark at night.

4. Water shut off sinks, showers, bathtubs, and toilets stop functioning. Hygiene management becomes difficult.

5. Negative moodlets affected Zois receive Unpleasant and Uncomfortable status effects from the lack of utilities, reducing their emotional state.

Utilities remain disconnected until the full balance (including penalties) is paid. There is no eviction for unpaid bills. The Zoi keeps their home regardless of how long bills go unpaid. The only consequences are disconnected utilities and negative moodlets.

cheat commands

Two cheat commands can bypass the billing system entirely:

• stopUtilityBills true prevents the Tax Department from sending any bills. No electricity, water, or property tax charges will appear on Friday. Set to false to resume normal billing.

• autoUtilityBills true automatically pays all bills the moment they arrive. Meow is still deducted from the balance, but you never need to open the smartphone or navigate to the payment screen.

Enable cheats through Psycat's Guide first, then open the console with Ctrl + Shift + C to enter these commands.

managing bill costs

• Reduce electricity bills by limiting the number of electronic devices running at once. Turn off TVs and computers when not in use.

• Reduce water bills by using water-efficient actions and avoiding long showers or baths.

• Property tax is based on lot and furniture value. A simpler home with less expensive furniture has lower property tax.

• The welfare system sends a 2,000 Meow check when a household drops below 1,000 Meow (see Meow and economy), which can help cover bills in emergencies.

• Loan shark loans via the smartphone Loan app provide quick cash at 5% interest for urgent bill payments.

• Careers provide steady income to cover recurring bills. Even entry-level jobs earn enough to handle basic utility costs.